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Park’s remark on ‘daebak’ creates controversy

President Park Geun-hye’s depiction of unification of the two Koreas as a “jackpot” is stirring up controversy, with many criticizing her for the use of the “graceless” term in her New Year’s news conference Monday.

Park announced her plan to establish a foundation for the unification of the Korean Peninsula in order to reduce the cost and social disintegration generated due to the division of Korea into South and North.

“If the Republic of Korea is going to make a leap forward, we should open up an era of unification,” Park said during her speech in the news conference at Cheong Wa Dae. “In short, unification is daebak.”

“Daebak” is a spoken word often used by Korean youngsters in casual conversation to refer to a smash hit or a great success.

Online users were busy posting their comments about Park’s remark via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Some netizens expressed bewilderment about the vocabulary level of the president’s speech.

“It’s hard to see such a low-level remark during a debate session at a college, even. I wonder what she was thinking,” an online user wrote on Twitter.

“I think parodies and satires of the remark will soon spread,” another Twitter user wrote.

Meanwhile, Park also proposed to hold reunions for separated families between the two Koreas later this month.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)